An in depth look at the forecast for all of Mizzou’s graduation ceremonies
It's a big weekend at the University of Missouri, as thousands of students are graduating and wrapping up their college careers. Weather can always play a big role in these ceremonies, and although all of Mizzou's commencements will be held indoors, graduates still have to get into the buildings while keeping their caps and gowns tidy for the big moment.
Ceremonies have already been underway this Friday, May 15th, with the College of Education and Human Development at 1 pm at Mizzou Arena and the College of Veterinary Medicine at 2 pm in Jesse Auditorium. The College of Engineering has its commencement at 4 pm in Mizzou Arena; the Sinclair School of Nursing at 6 pm in Jesse Auditorium; and the Missouri School of Journalism at 7 pm in Mizzou Arena.
Luckily, the only impact that has been in place for graduates on this day is the heat, as temperatures have gotten into the upper 70s and low 80s thanks to breezy southerly winds. The rest of the evening is expected to be dry, so graduates do not need to worry about being rained on while trying to take pictures after completing commencement.
Of course, this is just the start of the graduations, as the majority of commencements will take place on Saturday, May 16th. It begins with the College of Health Sciences (Undergraduate) at 8:30 am in Mizzou Arena, followed by the School of Medicine at 10 am in Jesse Auditorium. The College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources takes place at 12 pm in Mizzou Arena, and the College of Health Sciences (Professional/Clinical) will commence at 2:30 pm in Jesse Auditorium. The College of Arts and Science will have two commencements, one at 3:30 pm and one at 6 pm, both in Mizzou Arena. Finally, the School of Law will hold its ceremony at 5:30 pm in Jesse Auditorium.
The forecast for this day does include some potential impacts that graduates and friends/family who plan on attending will need to account for. First, a system of showers and storms is expected to be moving through the area during the earlier morning hours. From around 6-8 am, these chances will be most apparent, with the main system exiting from 9-10 am. Lighter showers can still be expected to linger throughout the later morning hours into the early afternoon, but for plans and ceremonies during the morning hours, some sort of rain gear will most likely be needed.
After 12-3 pm, light showers could still be expected, but heavy downpours will not be anticipated, so keeping an umbrella handy while keeping an eye on the radar will be most important when preparing for commencements. The impact that will become more apparent will be the heat, as temperatures are expected to get up into the mid-80s by the middle of the afternoon, and humidity will be making it feel warmer. With graduates being dressed up in caps and gowns, it will be important to make sure that they are properly hydrated before and after while taking celebratory photos.
The final ceremonies being held on Sunday, May 17th, consist of the Trulaske College of Business at 9 am in Mizzou Arena, the Graduate School: PhD/EdD at 12 pm in Mizzou Arena, the Honors College at 1 pm in Jesse Auditorium, and the Graduate School: Masters/Education Specialists at 3 pm in Mizzou Arena, where I will be walking in the commencement for completing my master's degree in atmospheric science.
The forecast for this day is simpler, as the main impact will just be the heat. Mostly dry and sunny weather is expected throughout the day as breezy southerly winds continue. Due to this setup, temperatures will be quickly warming into the low 90s by the afternoon hours, but higher dewpoints could be making it feel like it is closer to the mid-90s. It will be especially important for all to stay hydrated throughout the day, as this type of heat can quickly cause heat-related sicknesses. It will also be important to wear sunscreen if planning to be outdoors for a longer period of time, as the UV index will be at a 9, meaning it will only take 15-20 minutes to receive a sunburn without protection.
